Will iconic images recorded in the grooves of an ancient vase unite the Holy Land or rip it further apart?

THE VASE

A novel by Mark M. DeRobertis

Muhsin Muhabi is a Palestinian potter, descended from a long line of potters. His business is run from the same shop owned by his ancestors since the day his forebears moved to Nazareth. The region's conflict saw the death of his oldest son, and rogue terrorists are in the process of recruiting his youngest in their plot to assassinate the Pope and Israeli prime minister.

Professor Hiram Weiss is an art historian at Nazareth’s Bethel University. He is also a Shin Bet operative on special assignment. With the help of fellow agent, Captain Benny Mathias, he plans to destroy the gang responsible for the death of his wife and only child. He puts a bomb in the ancient vase he takes on loan from Muhsin’s Pottery Shop.

Mary Levin, the charming assistant to the director of Shin Bet, has lost a husband and most of her extended family to recurring wars and never-ending terrorism. She dedicates her life to the preservation of Israel, but to whom will she dedicate her heart? The brilliant professor from Bethel University? Or the gallant captain who now leads Kidon?

Harvey Holmes, the Sherlock of Haunted Houses, is a Hollywood TV host whose reality show just flopped. When a Lebanese restaurant owner requests his ghost-hunting services, he believes the opportunity will resurrect his career. All he has to do is exorcise the ghosts that are haunting the restaurant. It happens to be located right across the street from Muhsin’s Pottery Shop.




Monday, June 20, 2011

This is the Week!

Regarding THE VASE, this is the week that I can expect my first round of edits from Cogito’s Editor-in-Chief. I will be on it right away, and probably get the manuscript back to her by the following weekend. I’m telling you, this has got to be the most exciting period yet for an author looking at his/her first book being published. It was when Virtual Tales was editing it. And now, it’s even more exciting. I truly believe that everything, for me, worked out for the best.

I’m talking about Virtual Tales going out of business. Sure I feel for the authors who were with Virtual Tales, especially the ones with books under their belt. But for those, like me, who hadn’t even had their books published yet, it turned out to be an opportunity to get a publisher who’s even better.

Many of the VT authors have been sharing their success on the VT forum. I haven’t told them yet about THE VASE being picked up by Cogito. I would like to wait just a little longer before I start spreading the news. Look what happened the last time. I’ll write about it on this blog, of course, but that’s because this blog is about my journey to publication. And that includes all the ups and downs.

It included finding a publisher in VT, and then it included the setback when VT folded. So it also includes finding a publisher in Cogito, and it will include every step of the way. Until I actually see THE VASE in print, I’ll consider the road to publication not completed. But right now, it’s a very exciting time for me.
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1 comment:

  1. Ricky BushJune 21, 2011 at 12:24 PM

    Oooh, do I know how you feel. After being so close to being published and having the rug yanked it's easy to feel that a jinx could still be in play somewhere. BUT, I think you've got it wired now, man. I know how I shouted from the roof tops when I signed a contract, thinking that the deal was sealed, but not realizing that the glue wouldn't stick and it would all unravel. Hard to tell all that I told--"never mind".

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